


a picnic

by annalyia



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Gift Fic, Kissing, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Picnics, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29300055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annalyia/pseuds/annalyia
Summary: after thanatos helps him battle the shades of elysium, zagreus does death incarnate a favor
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 86





	a picnic

**Author's Note:**

> for one of my lovely friends, who thoroughly enjoys zagreus and thanatos

Zagreus’ heart flutters as he steps through the chamber door in Elysium and almost immediately hears the toll of death’s bell. A flash of greenish light and Thanatos appears, hovering a few inches about the lush grass. 

They smile when they see each other.

“Well, Zag?” Than says, voice soft. “Ready to go again?”

“With you? Always. But, before we begin, I have a proposal.”

“A proposal?”

Zagreus nods. “Nothing you need worry about, Than,” he reassures Death Incarnate. “Just a friendly little wager, I suppose. Not different from what we usually do. Every time I beat you, you grant me a centaur heart, correct?”

“Correct.”

“This time, if you beat me, I’ve got something for you.”

Thanatos raises an eyebrow at Zagreus’ suggestion. “Something for me? That’s new,” he muses. “Normally, if I win, all I get is bragging rights. I believe that I would enjoy to get something else, for once. You’ve got yourself a deal.” Thanatos extends a gloved hand to Zagreus, who readily takes it. They shake on it.

Their touch lingers a little longer than a normal handshake would require. 

And then, almost like they sensed a lull in the conversation, the wretches of the Underworld appear. Sure, this is Elysium, so the wretches here are the best of the best of humanity, but they fall just as easily as all the rest. It’s hard for Zagreus to take his eyes off Thanatos, watching him elegantly cut down shade after shade with his scythe. Battle is not difficult for Zagreus either, what with all of Achilles’ training. 

Noticing a couple of shades that have surrounded Thanatos, Zagreus flings his shield in that direction, watching as it cuts down shade after shade, the lightning courtesy of his Uncle Zeus bouncing between its targets. 

As the last shade by Thanatos turns to dust again, he eyes Zagreus. “I can handle myself, you know.”

“I know,” Zagreus replies. “But I always enjoy helping.”

Their conversation is cut short by the sound of more and more shades manifesting in the chamber. It’s more Brightswords and Longspears, all of who run right at Zagreus the moment they notice him. Thanatos lashes out with his scythe, and Zagreus watches as the shades begin to wither and fade under the power of Death. 

A couple small, pink things flit around his head. Zagreus cries out before batting them away with his shield. “Butterflies!” he curses. Shield in front of himself, Zagreus scans the room before finding the butterfly ball, and all the souls it has trapped. He rushes over to it, slamming into the shade with enough force to smash it against the wall. Just for good measure, Zagreus throws his shield at the butterfly ball, jolting it with lightning until it is no more. 

Another moment of respite, and Zagreus thinks the chamber might be cleared until he hears more shades, followed by a sparking noise. 

“Oh, I hate these things,” he grumbles, dashing as far away from the noise as possible. 

“And why is that? They’re just little chariots.”

“Their explosion upon impact ability is _very_ annoying, Than,” Zagreus explains. “As I’m sure you yourself know.”

A sweep of his scythe and five little chariots explode into dust in front of Thanatos. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” There is a smile on his face and a playful look in his eyes that would drive Zagreus mad if he weren’t so preoccupied with not dying at the moment. “This is your fault, by the way,” Thanatos reminds him. “There wouldn’t be so many shades to fight here, or anywhere, if you hadn’t used the Pact of Punishment from your father.”

After slamming another Brightsword into a wall and watching it explode, Zagreus shrugs. “I’d prefer to fight a few more enemies than some of the other things that Pact offers,” he says before cutting down the spirit left behind by the Brightsword.

“Fair enough.”

After a few more enemies, Zagreus kills the last one, the symbol of Artemis appears in front of him. He smiles as she speaks more to him of Callisto, before choosing her aid and turning to Thanatos. 

“Meet you at the door,” Than says. A flash of green light later and Zagreus is left by himself. 

Zagreus quickly dashes to the door. “How many did you get?” he asks.

Thanatos shrugs. “Twenty-five. And you?”

Zagreus crosses his arms and smirks smugly. “Twenty-four.”

“I’d almost believe that you let me win this one, Zag.”

“Me? Never.”

Thanatos smiles at Zagreus again, a soft expression full of affection. “So, you said there was something for me if I won?”

Zagreus nods. “That I did, and I’m a man of my word.”

“Well, what is it?”

“I need you to close your eyes.”

Thanatos frowns. “A surprise?”

“I wouldn’t necessarily call it a _surprise_ , per se,” Zagreus says, “but at the same time, I would like for you to close your eyes. I don’t want you getting spoiled before seeing the finished product.”

Thanatos sighs and shakes his head. “All right, all right, Zag,” he says. He closes his eyes and folds his arms over his chest, breathing in deeply and listening to the soothing sound of the currents of the Lethe.

Once he’s sure that Thanatos’ eyes are closed, Zagreus gets to work. 

It doesn’t take long for Zagreus to get everything set up. Like he told Thanatos earlier, he was going for something simple (and sweet), not too elaborate.

Zag smooths out the last of the wrinkles, adjusts the final few things before returning to Than’s side. He takes ahold of Death’s hand, and tugs on it gently. “Don’t open your eyes yet,” he instructs. “But I do need you to follow me.”

Thanatos lets himself be led—honestly, he would walk into the darkest pits of Tartarus itself if Zag were leading him by the hand—to what he can only assume is the bank of the Lethe. The rush of the water gets louder with every step. It does not take long for them to come to a stop.

Zagreus squeezes his hand gently, and it grounds Thanatos more than he ever thought such a simple action could. “You can open your eyes, now. That is, if you feel like it.”

And so, Than does. It takes a moment for his eyes to readjust to the light, but he is presented with a scene that makes him blush. Zagreus, still hand in hand, is standing at the edge of a picnic blanket spread on the banks of the Lethe, absolutely beaming at Thanatos. On the blanket is a wicker basket—most likely from Persephone—that is filled with little treats—most likely from Dusa—for the two of them to enjoy.

“Do you like it?” Zagreus asks cautiously after Than is silent, grin fading. “Is it too much? Did I—did I do something wrong?”

Than turns his gaze back to Zagreus and the other god immediately quiets, soothed by the obvious affection in his eyes. “No, it’s perfect,” Than says. 

Zagreus’ smile returns, lighting up his whole face. “Wonderful!” he says excitedly. “Let’s sit and enjoy ourselves for a bit then, shall we?”

“I think we shall,” Than agrees, settling himself onto the blanket right next to Zagreus, their shoulders pressed together.

Zagreus rests his head on Than’s shoulder, an unassuming act that still, somehow, makes Death Incarnate himself blush. Zag takes a grape from the basket and munches on it silently, watching the fish swim through the water. Than readily accepts a grape when offered one by Zagreus.

After a few minutes of peaceful quiet, a thought occurs to Thanatos. “What would you have done if I had approached you in Tartarus or Asphodel, or not at all on this attempt?”

Zagreus picks his head up from Than’s shoulder—Than misses the comfortable and familiar weight as soon as it is gone—before shrugging and grabbing some more grapes. “I probably wouldn’t have said anything,” he says between bites. “Tartarus and Asphodel are not the most ideal locations for a date.”

Thanatos smiles. “I suppose that makes sense. I must say that I am glad that I found you here, then.”

“As am I.”

There’s more quiet punctuated by small talk between them. Zag dips a foot into the Lethe at one point, giggling as he quickly pulls it back out. “It tickled,” he explains.

“You’re so strange,” Than comments, chuckling softly.

“That might be so, but you like me anyway.”

“That I do.”

Zagreus throws a grape at Thanatos. “Gross,” he declares.

Thanatos scowls and tosses the grape back. “You said yourself that you like me, so that would make you gross, as well.”

Zagreus expertly catches the grape in his mouth. Thanatos can tell, however, that he did not mean to, given the wide-eyed and thrilled expression he makes. “I never said that I was not also gross,” he counters.

“That’s true.”

Zagreus smiles, and it softens his face and reaches his eyes; they shine with admiration, one red and one green. And then he leans forward, places his hands on Thanatos’ cheeks, and brings him in for a soft and gentle kiss. It’s a simple brush of lips to lips, and yet it still sends a shiver down Than’s spine.

“We have to do this more often,” Than breathes before leaning back on his hands again.

Zag’s eyes light up again, this time in excitement. “Really?”

“Yes, really,” Than says, laughing. 

“Oh, thank goodness,” Zag says, sounding like an immense weight has been lifted from his shoulders. “I was worried that you wouldn’t like this.”

“Wouldn’t like this?” Than asks, tilting his head to the side. “Why wouldn’t I like spending time with you where we aren’t trying to kill things, or surrounded by the other members of your father’s House?”

Zagreus shrugs, a blush creeping up his neck. “I don’t know, Than,” he says. “Sometimes I just worry that I’m doing the wrong thing.”

Than leans forward again, placing a hand against Zagreus’ cheek. Zag leans into his hand, closing his eyes and savoring the touch. “This was definitely not the wrong thing,” he says firmly. “I can promise you that.”

Zagreus opens his eyes again, and those mismatched colors meet Than’s gold. “I guess I’ll have to take your word for it.” His smile is back, and he rests his hand atop Than’s.

They lie together on the blanket for a little while longer, Zag’s head on Than’s chest, listening to the sounds of Elysium around them.

Eventually, Thanatos says, “I suppose it is getting late, is it not?”

“Mm,” Zagreus murmurs.

“You’ve got more of Elysium to explore, as well. I’m sure Theseus and Asterius are wondering what’s taking you so long this time around. You wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”

Zagreus stretches an arm over his head before yawning and then smacking his lips. “I suppose you might have a point.”

“Just maybe.”

Sitting up, Zagreus stretches properly this time. “I’m sure Father is also wondering where I am. I’ve got a few new tricks up my sleeve this time around, and I’m excited to see what he thinks of them.”

Thanatos laughs before pushing himself up, bringing himself level with Zagreus once again. “You’ll have to tell me about it, after.”

“I can do that,” Zagreus says. After standing, he extends a hand to Than to help him up. “I’ll see you back at the House?”

Thanatos nods, before leaning in and kissing Zagreus full on the mouth again, long and hard enough that he knows he will leave the other god dizzy. He is not disappointed as he pulls back and watches Zagreus’ eyes flutter, watches him almost unconsciously lean forward, searching for Than’s touch. “I’ll see you back at the House.”

And with that, Zagreus watches as Than disappears in a flash of green light. He smiles before waving a hand and cleaning up the remains of their picnic. His fingers ghost over his lips and he suppresses a giddy giggle. 

Taking a deep breath, Zagreus turns his attention to the doors that will allow him to exit this chamber of Elysium. “Well, I guess I shouldn’t leave them waiting.”

**Author's Note:**

> aaaaaand that's it for my first hades fic! i just wanted to let the good good boys snuggle and spend some time together where they aren't fighting shades lol
> 
> as always, if you enjoyed this please please please please pleeeaaaase leave a comment or kudos!!


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